The Top 10 Highest-Ranked Recruits in Purdue Basketball's History
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Matt Painter has recruited several talented players to Purdue in his two decades in West Lafayette. Over the last seven years, though, there's been a serious influx of talent, especially in terms of the recruiting rankings.
Since the 2020 recruiting class, Painter and his staff have brought in nine of the program's 10 highest-ranked prospects in history. Obviously, recruiting rankings only date back to the mid-2000s, but the point still remains.
Who are some of the highest-ranked players Purdue has brought in over the years, according to 247Sports? Six of the 10 players on this list are either currently members of the roster or are still waiting to step on campus.
1. Isaiah Hill, 2027 (Indianapolis, Ind.)
- 247Sports rating: .9943
Hill became the highest-ranked recruit in the history of Purdue basketball in May when he officially announced his commitment to the program. The 7-foot center is also the No. 1 prospect out of Indiana and is a five-star talent. Although he won't step on campus until the summer of 2027, he brings a lot of hype to West Lafayette after averaging 12.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game as a junior at Pike High School.
2. Caleb Swanigan, 2015 (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
- 247Sports rating: .9910
Swanigan is the only McDonald's All-American who has committed to play for Painter since he took over the program in 2005. He was considered the top overall prospect from Indiana and was the No. 33 player in the country in the 2015 recruiting class. Swanigan would go on to enjoy a stellar two-year career at Purdue and was named the 2017 Big Ten Player of the Year after averaging 18.5 points and 12.5 rebounds and setting a then-Big Ten record with 28 double-doubles.
3. Luke Ertel, 2026 (Mount Vernon, Ind.)
247Sports rating: .9843
Ertel is another highly-ranked prospect who arrives at Purdue this summer. He started out ranked in the 100s of the recruiting rankings, but has catapulted since his commitment to play for the Boilermakers in the summer of 2024. He ended his high school career at Mount Vernon by averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. He was named Indiana Mr. Basketball and led his team to a state championship. Ertel was also the No. 1 prospect from Indiana for his class.
4. Trey Kaufman-Renn, 2021 (Sellersburg, Ind.)
247Sports rating: .9832
Coming out of Silver Creek High School, Kaufman-Renn was a top-50 prospect and was ranked as the No. 1 player from Indiana in his class. His career gradually progressed at Purdue, going from a redshirt freshman to a role player and into one of the team's key players in his final two seasons. Kaufman-Renn led the nation in made field goals (292) as a junior and averaged 21.5 points per game that season, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors and third-team All-American recognition.
5. Jacob Webber, 2026 (Kearney, Neb.)
247Sports rating: .9775
A player who has flown under the radar, Webber has emerged as one of the best shooters of the 2026 recruiting class, earning a four-star rating and catapulting up the recruiting rankings. The Nebraska native is ranked as a top-three talent from his home state and is listed as the No. 63 overall prospect for his class. Painter referred to him as one of the best catch-and-shoot players he has ever recruited.
6. Sinan Huan, 2026 (Beijing, China)
247Sports rating: .9762
Huan is the fourth player on this list who has yet to step on the floor at Keady Court, but possesses tremendous upside. The 7-foot-1 center is a great shot blocker and possesses great versatility, allowing him to play the four or five spot. He was named the Interstate Athletic Conference Player of the Year after averaging 18.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game at Georgetown Prep (Md.). The seven-footer is ranked as the No. 65 prospect in the 2026 class.
7. Caleb Furst, 2021 (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
247Sports rating: .9760
Although he ranked as the No. 2 player from Indiana in 2021 (behind Kaufman-Renn), Furst was the winner of the Indiana Mr. Basketball award after an outstanding senior season at Blackhawk Christian. He was a top-70 prospect in his recruiting class and immediately played a role for the Boilermakers. In his four seasons with the program, Furst averaged 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
8. Gicarri Harris, 2024 (Atlanta, Ga.)
247Sports rating: .9722
Harris was a four-star guard and a top-75 prospect in the 2024 recruiting class out of Atlanta. He was the No. 10 player from Georgia and earned All-State honors as a senior. The guard also ended his career as Grayson High School's all-time leading scorer. In his first two seasons at Purdue, Harris has played a key role, averaging 4.6 points and 1.6 rebounds per contest as a sophomore. He has appeared in all 75 games since arriving in West Lafayette.
9. Jaden Ivey, 2020 (South Bend, Ind.)
247Sports rating: .9679
Coming out of high school, Ivey was another overlooked prospect. Yes, he had a four-star rating, but was ranked as Indiana's No. 2 overall prospect and barely cracked the top 100 for his class. His game evolved in just two years at Purdue, earning first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American honors as a sophomore after averaging 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Ivey was then a lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
10. Omer Mayer, 2025 (Tel Aviv, Israel)
247Sports rating: .9675
Mayer completed his first season at Purdue in 2025-26 and was a backup to point guard Braden Smith. The 6-foot-4 guard was a late addition to the Boilers' 2025 class, but was considered one of the top international prospects. Mayer ranked as the No. 83 prospect and earned a four-star rating. In his first season at Purdue, he averaged 5.5 points and 1.2 assists per game.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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